Tag Archives: Virginia

Ken was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1960 and since the early eighties has been juggling dual careers in Art and Civil Engineering. Through the NSW University of Technology in Sydney, Australia Strong’s studies included art composition, medium, and art history. He also had specialist training in architectural drafting and technical presentation.

Ken Strong in his studio

Strong has been painting for over 25 years and is developing increased recognition for his work both nationally and internationally. He has participated in over 30 exhibitions over this period including 23 solo, and is a regular contributor to Australian and International Artist Magazines

Ken Strong

Strong has said “as long as I can remember I had a pencil or paint brush in my hand. As a lot of painters do, I developed an early love for the Australian impressionist painters, probably because they presented images of this country that reinforce the difference in the Australian landscape and lifestyle to overseas locations. And 100 years on, the same differences still exist.”

“A Grand Heritage, Montecello,VA” by Ken Strong

Strong believes he developed a passion for art when he first began to experiment with paints and began to get a sense of excitement in using the mediums. “Even though the thrill is often momentary (because the greatest critic of you own work is unfortunately yourself), as a painter you sometimes think you can touch something intangible with art, which makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. When you review the completed works, the moment is often lost, but the anticipation of finding this becomes a driving force to create,” says Strong.

“Sand, Sail and Stillness” by Ken Strong

Many of Strong’s works combine a carefully constructed subject with a vigorous application of pigment. Movement is paramount when the observer is lead around the composition following the textures and shadows developed within the structure. The suggestion of detail will often be used in lieu of specific detail, the suggestion being used to support the subject but not detract with over-complexity. He has been described as a “colorist” and an “impressionist, a combination of both resulting in a unique approach to creative artwork.

Equestrian Event, Middleburg, VA by Ken Strong

Strong has used the giclée technique so he doesn’t have to produce a complete set of prints at one time, unlike traditional printmaking processes that require an entire run be completed all at once. With digital printing, a portion can be made now and the remaining ones printed later as needed, without loss of quality. Once the artist is satisfied with the results, the information is stored digitally to create prints as needed. Seems like the giclée technique is something everbody can benefit from!

Check out some more of Ken Strong’s artwork below:

Willis Wharf,Study by Ken Strong

A Painting of Venice by Ken Strong

Another beautiful painting by Ken Strong

What are your thoughts on giclée? Would you use an inkjet printer for your work?

First off I would like to congratulate all the 2012 graduates! Whether you have just graduated from high school, completed your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or even a PhD degree – I am excited for you all.

Education though exciting and fun can also be a tough endeavor and it is a great accomplishment when you finally receive the piece of paper acknowledging all your hard work! Spring and summer are full of graduations and when all is said and done, when the family parties die down, and the opportunity to move on to further education or a career comes – don’t let the opportunity to show off your achievements pass.

Frame your diploma!

How about this wall of framed diplomas. Looks like a doctor’s office!

Have several degrees or certifications? Create a collage!

Or get a frame to keep on your desk like this one below.

A perfect size for your guests to view.

For those of you considering framing your diploma yourself – I would recommend against it. You can easily make a snafu and tear the diploma or crease it while attempting to put it in the frame. When you invest in professional framing, you will not only receive a great quality frame you will secure a quality job on overall. You most likely spent quite a bit of time and money while getting your degree why not give it the care it deserves?

Check out this unique frame with the graduate’s cap tassel.

Diplomas with accessories are fun.

Usually when you go to a custom framing store you can either choose from a selection of staple frames or can customize the frame to your liking. Most places will be able to assist you in capturing just the right frame to complement your room, your lifestyle, and your budget!

Comparing between the two frames between the first frame with the image of the school would be a bit more expensive and take up more room than the second frame with a simpler style.

A frame for a diploma can make for a great gift and a solid investment. It is also a fantastic way to protect your documents from wear and tear. There are so many options frame-wise, you can choose a large frame with an image of the school, make it colorful with the school theme colors, or keep it simple and sleek. Some people may want to engrave or initial the frame for personalization and you can also choose to add a gold or colored plaque on or under the frame too!

I still need to frame my Bachelor’s degree from James Madison University! Go Dukes! This is what I would like my framed diploma to look like.

Following up from Tuesday’s blog post about weddings, I am still intrigued by all the possibilities you can come up related to for weddings! It has been established that June is the month of weddings. Many people choose June to get married because of the wonderful weather and all the possible the perfect outdoor pictures to be taken.

A perfect example would this beautiful bride and her bridesmaids below! Just look at the scenery, it can take your breath away.

Barefoot Beach Wedding – What a great photo!

Once the favorite poses have been chosen… what should be done with the pictures? Weddings are a once in a lifetime event. The pictures are beautiful, certainly not cheap, and hung on the wall for all to see for a lifetime. Therefore, these photos deserve to be beautifully framed.

Check out this photo and frame match-up below, this would be a great anniversary gift!

This frame is engraved with the names of the bride and groom and the VIP date!

The bride and groom picture can be framed formally, with an array of beautiful white mats of different hues and textures. Specialty framing shops have oval frames with convex glass, or closed corner frames.

This couple or gift-giver chose a silver frame. I could see this on the wall of a fmaily room or on a desk in an office.

Or if it was an outdoor wedding, a more casual setting is called for, with richly colored frames and mats. A family collage is a fun way to present more than one picture. If you have a lot of pictures, why pick just one? A multi-opening mat like the frame below can let you show off many pictures in one frame.

It is a Wedding Storyboard!

Framing wedding invitations is also a fantastic way to create a keepsake from the day. An embellished invitation with real pressed flowers arranged in a frame in a unique way makes a wonderful wedding or shower gift. The wedding flowers can be used together with the invitation or a wedding photo after the wedding takes place. Create keepsakes like those seen below.

There can be sooo many options to choose from in regards to framing invitations.

Why keep your invitations locked away in a photo album when you can display it beautifully in a custom made flower arrangement on the wall?

Framed wedding invitation compliments of Pressedflora.com

Or how about using frames during the wedding like this couple did.

Moss frame with directions for wedding guests.

Sandra J. White creates speciatly quilled invitation frames in her home in New Hampshire.

Broadway Gallery can create a custom shadow box of your wedding invitation for a 3-D effect or frame it with their high-quality wooden, silver, or gold frames.

If you do decide to frame an invitation or picture for the happy couple, make sure it is a custom frame that reflect’s the couple’s style! Lots of shops have all sorts of decorative frames. One example below is of a South Sea White Pearl Picture Frame.

This would be FAB for a couple that enjoys beach vacations or owns a beach house or even had their wedding at the beach!

Some other cool ideas I came across and had to share:

Heart Shaped Frames- Simple & Sweet

Have any of you done this? I can’t wait to give this as a gift (and I kinda want one too!) Two great sites that has tons of ideas are www.Theknot.com and www.pinterest.com !

She has been with Broadway Galleries since 2007 when she moved across country from Las Vegas, NV. Originally from North Carolina Jupey grew up in Cincinnati, OH and has been in love with art since as long as she can remember.

Jupey’s role at Broadway Galleries entails a variety of roles, such as taking all the incoming framing orders, ensuring all the materials and work are completed in a timely fashion, managing vendors, handling interactions with customers, designing frames, doing installations, and completing in-home consultations. Jupey also spends time assisting Broadway Galleries owner Barry Broadway with the company’s website and social media needs.

Choosing the right frame makes all the difference.

Jupey says, “I love my job, interacting with the customers, and have a diverse amount of work to do. I like to stay busy and do the design work on framing.” She came to Broadway Galleries with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Pratt Pratt Institute and graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Broadway Galleries’ family goal is “to maintain the highest standards in the framing industry by having the best design and productions staff available and to be art educators as well as art providers.” Jupey said that Broadway Galleries’ customers range from retail customers, designers, and corporate collections. She mentioned that her company does things that most galleries won’t do such as specialized framing and servicing the trade.

Simple and beautiful.

Broadway Galleries has a turnaround time of between two and two and a half weeks but they can also accommodate rushes.

One of Jupey’s favorite things about working at Broadway Galleries is that she gets to be around art all day long. She loves it and feels really privileged to be around such beautiful works of art. Jupey enjoys being able to help people display their artwork to its fullest extent. “You can make or break a piece of art by framing; and I have fun helping people with a vision. She continues “Broadway Gallery assists customers to decide what is the best, aesthetically and conservation-wise, for framing. We educate people on the materials we use and we ask people things like ‘is it going to damage your art?’ ‘Is it going to last?’ ‘Place x is cheaper but are you really comparing apples to apples?’ The whole process is informative and beneficial to them.”

The art is the center of attention here.

Jupey said her main challenge in framing work is when “customers may come in with a preconceived notion of what they want; and what they want, 99 times out of 100, isn’t what is aesthetically best for the piece.” This is a fine line, and very subjective, but often what customers are picturing in their head is not really how it’s actually going to look. The challenge is to show them what they want and, at the same time, provide other, more-appropriate, options delicately, showing the difference in what is more visually appealing.

Jupey concludes by saying, “we service those who have neat, atypical pieces, and we have a great reputation for all types of framing.” Jupey’s passion for art and for the work she does at Broadway Galleries is a testament to the artistic expertise that we pride ourselves on.

Fred has found a way to capture the depth and detailed beauty of nature using an unique photography technique.

"Bluebells on Cedar Run" By Fred Eberhart

His photographs can be enlarged to over 10′ tall or 10′ wide and still hold the clarity of the image you see below. Fred is able to enlarge his images to these enormous sizes and create such depth by actually stitching together a series of images into one. Fred explains it very clearly:

“I am acutely aware of the limitations of digital technology in that pursuit. Even among higher-end digital cameras, the technology has not yet reached a point at which individual digital images can meet the resolution and quality standards of scanned images from medium and large format film. This shortcoming is particularly evident in the creation of fine art landscape images, often most advantageously displayed in large format, high-resolution prints.

"On Hogback in a Cloud" captured on the Appalachian Trail in Late September

I have sought to overcome this limitation by creating stitched mosaics from arrays of juxtaposed digital images. Using robust mosaic-stitching software, I am able to produce seamless, large format, high-resolution images of a quality comparable to the larger film formats.Preparation of a finished mosaic of 24 or more component photographs may require days for setup, processing, modification and finishing to my satisfaction.

Thumbnails of the 4mp photos stitched to create "Bluebird's Remembrance"

Some of the more challenging mosaics, shot in rapidly changing light or with moving subjects, may require several attempts to get it right. However, there is considerable creative satisfaction in the process and in the result.” We think the result is very satisfying as well. Here it is:

Bluebird's Remembrance stitched together

This technique is not new, or commonly used. Have you heard of it before? We invite you into our Alexandria gallery to see the pieces in person and to inspect each piece to see if you can determine where Fred stitched each piece. Here is another example:

Thumbnail arrary of course photos for "Morning Light on the C&O"

Ta-da! Here it is stitched together:

"Morning Light on the C&O" By Fred Eberhart

To learn more about Fred and his stunning photographs visit our website by click here.

“I hope that viewers will find my images compelling and emotive, touching them in a meaningful way, and conveying my love for, and awe at the natural and visual gifts with which we have been endowed.”